Telangana: Strike in coastal Andhra, Rayalaseema regions

Hyderabad, July 31: The United Andhra Joint Action Committee called a strike on Wednesday after the Congress-led UPA government decided to form the new state of Telangana. State buses remained off roads while schools and offices were closed in Seemandhra region, comprising coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions because of the strike.

On Tuesday, the Congress made the crucial call on Telangana despite objections expressed by the party's own leaders, mainly from Seemandhra. Central leaders from the state like Pallam Raju and Chiranjeevi said they were worried over the move but assured that they wouldn't quit in protest.

But not all are happy. A senior Congress MP from Guntur resigned from his seat and also quit the party in protest, saying he was hurt by the decision. Other party ministers and MPs are also due to take decisions after they meet Andhra Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy. Reddy, who hails from Rayalaseema, is also against the division although reports said he was dissuaded from quitting.

It has also been decided that Hyderabad, the capital of Andhra Pradesh, will remain a common capital of the two states for the next 10 years.